P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

(wi th reference to 1: 3) : IIOffenbar ist mit I:v "tor,
I:7t01>pa.vCoc., irnmer ein IOrt l angegeben, gleichgtlltig,
ob das SUbstantiv maskulinisch oder neutrisch zu
verstehen istlli indeed, as far as 1:20 is concerned,
the context will not tolerate any non-local interpretation.
While it is probable that behind the use of
in Ephesians there lies the OT understanding
o f 'h eaven I
Wl · th 1 . t S COSffilC . 52 an d t ranscen d en t 53 poin . t s
of reference, there can be little doubt that in Eph 1:20
a new dimension has been added:
heaven is now understood
as being caught up in God's redeeming activity
precisely because this is the 'place ' where the
ascended C~rist now is. It is this thought that is
basic to the remaining references.
The deliberate parallelism between 1:20-23
and 2:5-8 has already been examined and noted. 54
Basic to thi3 parallelism and indeed to the significance
of the term in question are the compound verbs
avveydpw and O"I>yxa.6 C ~
. , in having become in
faith participants in the resurrection of Christ, God
has, in anticipatory fashion, made the believers
participants in the power of Christ. Lincoln 55
well summarises:
II ••• the apostle is describing
what has taken place for believers experientally.
Christ has been raised and exalted, and nothing less
is involved than that the believer by virtue of his
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